In the "For what it's worth" (& not too much) department

C

Charles E

curmudgeon
I put a new Sightron SIII 10-50 x 60 on my rifle and shot a match, indoors. The scope behaved very well -- two 250s -- and the clarity was equal or better than the Leupold 45. Brightness was better with the Sightron, but that would be obvious from the exit pupil diameter.

With the small dot, at about 48 power, I can quarter the X-dot.

Whether or not it will hold up, we shall see -- And fairly soon I'd think, because the Sightron is slated to go on my 1,000 yard Light Gun, a .338/404.

I have a good friend who is a dealer; best price I found for those less fortunate is:

http://www.arcadian-sales.com/Merch...AS/PROD/Sightron_SIII/SIIISS1050X60LRTD_25138

I can't make any claim about this company, just the result of some Google searches for price only.

FWIW
 
Tim,

Ah, yes. A little heavy at 29 ounces. Less than a Nightforce 12-42, heavier than a Leupold Competition series.

It may be buyer's optimism -- I've use NightForces (BR model) a long time -- but I like the Sightron better, except for the Sightron's turret parallax adjustment. The parallax adjustment changes quickly & is a bit hard to dial in. We'll have to see about holding POI.
 
Thanks. Probably a bit too heavy. I am, however going to pull a March 40 off my BAT 6PPC and try it on one of the .22's for part of the coming season, we'll see.
 
tim said:
Thanks. Probably a bit too heavy. I am, however going to pull a March 40 off my BAT 6PPC and try it on one of the .22's for part of the coming season, we'll see.
Click to expand...

I have seen a few March being used. Gary Hamilton uses them as does Doug Bell.
 
Charles E said:
Tim,

Ah, yes. A little heavy at 29 ounces. Less than a Nightforce 12-42, heavier than a Leupold Competition series.

It may be buyer's optimism -- I've use NightForces (BR model) a long time -- but I like the Sightron better, except for the Sightron's turret parallax adjustment. The parallax adjustment changes quickly & is a bit hard to dial in. We'll have to see about holding POI.
Click to expand...

A number of years ago some of my friends went through the Night Forces they bought and now have other scopes. They had problems with lenses coming loose or at least the company said they repaired the scopes by re-bedding the lenses. I see folks still use them but I haven't trusted them for years now. For the small differnece in price between them and the March, well, I know what I would do.
 
Pete Wass said:
For the small difference in price between them [Nightforce] and the March, well, I know what I would do.
Click to expand...
Last time I looked, the NF was about $1300 for the BR model, which is "best" for benchrest. The March is close to twice that. It may be the best decision, but it's hardly a "small difference." The Sightron is around $900.

BTW, me & a whole bunch of 1K shooters have used Nightorce scopes for years; I've never heard of the problem your friends encountered.

Just another FWIW
 
Charles E said:
Last time I looked, the NF was about $1300 for the BR model, which is "best" for benchrest. The March is close to twice that. It may be the best decision, but it's hardly a "small difference." The Sightron is around $900.

BTW, me & a whole bunch of 1K shooters have used Nightorce scopes for years; I've never heard of the problem your friends encountered.

Just another FWIW
Click to expand...

Charles,
I'm one of the friends Pete references. Brand new Nightforce BR model, went back to NF the first time because the image would go out of focus upon firing. They rebedded the front lens. The scope came back and I shot it on top of a Borden action 13.5 lb score 30BR. First time out I was shooting on the sighter and the image went fuzzy and I could not re-focus the scope. I sent it back and they replaced it with a brand new one...at least the box was sealed. I sold it without breaking the seal. Great warranty service BTW, but not a good scope experience. I know, nothing is perfect. Best scope rig I've been able to come up with is a frozen Leup competition in Bob Brackney rings. The two I have have been absolutely bullet proof so far. Trying to put a heavy NF even on a 13.5 lb rifle is a bit of a challenge to weight and balance and it really isn't the best choice imho for that particular rifle configuration. Keep us posted on the Sightron once you put it on top of your light gun. Looks like a nice unit. --Greg
 
Last edited:
Maybe I am just ignorant, but I fail to see rimfires having enough recoil to knock anything loose. But obviously I am wrong.
 
Charles E said:
Last time I looked, the NF was about $1300 for the BR model, which is "best" for benchrest. The March is close to twice that. It may be the best decision, but it's hardly a "small difference." The Sightron is around $900.

BTW, me & a whole bunch of 1K shooters have used Nightorce scopes for years; I've never heard of the problem your friends encountered.

Just another FWIW
Click to expand...

I was referring to the Nightforce pricing. Unless you have a Long Term Care policy, It's only the Nursing Home's money anyway Charles. :)

Perhaps the Point Blank shooters are more fussy than the 1K shooters, I don't know but a couple of my friend certainly had POI and other problems attributed to the internl lense mounting; at least in one case. It could be there was one run of scopes that had problems I guess.

That said, I am very pleased with Sightron scopes. I have 4 now and have had great resultss with them, so far.
 
NF 12-42 BR is the most popular scope around here shoots in VFS. I have two of them, one on a 30 Major/PPC, the other on a 6BR. I have no complaints other than their weight.

Don't know why NF builds that scope and calls it a "BR".

Greg J.
 
My only comment / observation is:

It seems like just about every maker has put out a scope with a problem, or at least there has been talk about it on the net. I know of two March scopes being sent back with problems, I have read about NF scopes with problems, of course there is plenty on the Leupold bashing bandwagon - yet I have not had one fail on me in many years of silhouette and benchrest, I did not like the image in the Sightron, and so on.

Thus, other than the frozen assembly which I have only read about, is there a magic scope?

My issue is that in silhouette, there are not sighters once the event starts, so a bum scope ends your day, and for me, possibly a cross country trip to compete.

Image quality is one thing to me, but I must have as good of clicks for elevation and windage as I possibly can. While I shoot a Leupold FX-III for silhouette, the clicks on a NF scope feel much better. Problem is I can't make weight with the NF scope, and at the last two trade shows, NF stated there are no plans to offer a fixed power scope ( in my mind lighter ).

I asked NF to maybe consider a fixed power 24 and 35, with a front AO - and I don't think that will happen in the next 5 years.

It's frustrating to leave the chance of your success tied to the reliability of a scope.

Just my view.

s.
 
steve b. said:
My only comment / observation is:

It seems like just about every maker has put out a scope with a problem, or at least there has been talk about it on the net. I know of two March scopes being sent back with problems, I have read about NF scopes with problems, of course there is plenty on the Leupold bashing bandwagon - yet I have not had one fail on me in many years of silhouette and benchrest, I did not like the image in the Sightron, and so on.

Thus, other than the frozen assembly which I have only read about, is there a magic scope?

My issue is that in silhouette, there are not sighters once the event starts, so a bum scope ends your day, and for me, possibly a cross country trip to compete.

Image quality is one thing to me, but I must have as good of clicks for elevation and windage as I possibly can. While I shoot a Leupold FX-III for silhouette, the clicks on a NF scope feel much better. Problem is I can't make weight with the NF scope, and at the last two trade shows, NF stated there are no plans to offer a fixed power scope ( in my mind lighter ).

I asked NF to maybe consider a fixed power 24 and 35, with a front AO - and I don't think that will happen in the next 5 years.

It's frustrating to leave the chance of your success tied to the reliability of a scope.

Just my view.

s.
Click to expand...

Steve, you last sentence is correct...really tough. THe same thing applies in CF benchrest, which I shoot, the score version. Scopes have been nothing short of frustration for me. Weavers, Leupolds, NF...none of them are bullet proof. There is probably no such thing. For my game, demands on a scope may be a little different than yours. I don't care how the clicks feel or even if there are any. I need to adjust a scope to a particular POI and then I need the scope to hold that point, shot after shot after shot. For my needs nothing has come close to the frozen leup competition and brackney rings as done up by bob. For your game the lack of clicks and possibly any good reference point(like a benchrest target) may be a huge negative. The nice thing about a Leupold is the guarantee. I believe March has a guarantee but only to the first purchaser and then only for 5 years, unless it has changed recently or unless they honor anyone sending a scope back with problems. Nice thing about March is that I have heard of very few problems. --Greg
 
Greg,

Would it be logical to think that so few March scopes have problems because so few, in relation to companies like Weaver and Leupold, are made? I would have to think that both their quality and low numbers would greatly add to their low frequency of problems being known among shooters?

I also agree with your POI concern, but with my sport being smallbore and the fact that the rifle is held and allowed to recoil against the body, that the internals of the scope are under fairly low stress. I worry alot more about putting it on the plane than shooting it.

I have tried to talk Leupold into making a front focus BR 35x scope, because the side focus is not fine enough for my needs. Maybe I just should get one of the large side-focus wheels that are common in field target air rifle. I'm not sure. The erector housing is supported by only a single spring in the FX line, but the BR line is a dual system. I think this makes the scope hold better and move more consistently.

Anyhow, I'm open to ideas, and I also need to learn alot more about scopes, but right now I'm tied to Leupold because they make the closest thing that I need and as you said, their warranty and customer service is outstanding. I just hope not to need it in the middle of a match!

Thanks for the time.

s.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
steve b. said:
Greg,

Would it be logical to think that so few March scopes have problems because so few, in relation to companies like Weaver and Leupold, are made? I would have to think that both their quality and low numbers would greatly add to their low frequency of problems being known among shooters?

I also agree with your POI concern, but with my sport being smallbore and the fact that the rifle is held and allowed to recoil against the body, that the internals of the scope are under fairly low stress. I worry alot more about putting it on the plane than shooting it.

I have tried to talk Leupold into making a front focus BR 35x scope, because the side focus is not fine enough for my needs. Maybe I just should get one of the large side-focus wheels that are common in field target air rifle. I'm not sure. The erector housing is supported by only a single spring in the FX line, but the BR line is a dual system. I think this makes the scope hold better and move more consistently.

Anyhow, I'm open to ideas, and I also need to learn alot more about scopes, but right now I'm tied to Leupold because they make the closest thing that I need and as you said, their warranty and customer service is outstanding. I just hope not to need it in the middle of a match!

Thanks for the time.

s.
Click to expand...

Steve, I would agree that March's aren't as prevelant as Leup's...check out he IBS website on this forum and look at match reports. However, to say that the number of march vs. leupold scopes accounts for the reduced complaints against March is not reasonable. All I can say is that I hear less complaints about them. Whether that is because they are more robustly constructed internally or just due to the reduced numbers vs. Leup, I just don't know. March says they are, but no one I know of has disassembled one to see if there is a definitive answer to the better construction claim. At over 2K apiece I guess I can understand why no one has dissected one!! --Good luck and I agree with you I would stick with Leup
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top